


If I Fell

by missameliep



Series: Second Chances [4]
Category: Desire & Decorum (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:41:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26017474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missameliep/pseuds/missameliep
Summary: Jogging at Hyde Park takes an unexpected turn for Elizabeth and Hamid.
Relationships: Hamid/Main Character (Desire & Decorum)
Series: Second Chances [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1465849





	If I Fell

**Author's Note:**

> * English is not my first language.  
> * All characters belong to Pixelberry.  
> * This one-shot is from the same AU of the series Second Chances

Bouncing up and down at the rhythm of the music, Elizabeth’s long and curly ponytail whipped from side to side.

A group of runners sprinted past her and her eyes lingered on their bare arms and legs, and the sight alone made her shiver.

Even though the singer keeps repeating verses about summer into her ear, sunny and warmer days are becoming a distant memory. This morning, the sun above their heads seemed like an imitation of what she’s used to, its sunbeams struggling to shine through a greyish sea of clouds, a faint light reaching her face without warming it. This time of the year, if she were jogging at the broad Portuguese mosaic sidewalk at Ipanema, despite the sea breeze, her cheeks would probably feel hot and get redder after each kilometre crossed. Kissed by the golden sunlight, beads of sweat would be streaming down her back, making her tank top stick to the skin, unlike here.

At London, she has a jacket zipped all the way up on top of her t-shirt and the breeze blowing through the trees cools her hands and nose.

However, there’s a presence here that provides a similar warmth to her life, and she almost forgets the grey sky above.

Her gaze sneaks at the man and his springing graceful steps.

Hamid is not the sun, she knows it. But sometimes, he sort of is, with his big and welcoming personality and the cheek dimpling smile that ignites the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach. Whenever he offers one of his broad smiles, her days are painted golden.

She never expected someone outside her family to become so relevant in making her feel little by little more at home in this city and new life. Hamid gets it. He gets her in a way others don’t. He knows what it is to start anew in a strange city. With grace he waltzes between cultures, enjoying the best of each one, as he says; and she wishes someday she’ll be able to do it too. Right now, she’s trying to learn from him and is thankful for his aid.

From the very first day he welcomed her, offering his company, advice, kindness and friendship.

_Friendship_.

Often, she ponders if this annoying crush will ever go away.

How long until she can see him just like a friend and not jeopardize what they have? Though she cannot chase away Briar’s insinuation, she doubts he’d ever want more than what they have. Perhaps just a fling. He’s flirty and never denied how casual his relationships were. Elizabeth does not do that. She cannot be casual. Ever. And not with him, especially. Her feelings are already too confusing as they are, and what they have is good. More than good, actually. He’s also satisfied, she can tell. They’ve established a routine, and whenever they have free time, they want to be together, which is normal. That’s what good friends do. Neither is neglecting important commitments to spend time together… 

Besides they both know nothing has changed in the past weeks. He’s still leaving any day now, and she’s not. Therefore, she must not waste time thinking of impossible scenarios in which they could be together, while following their own dreams.

Though when he smiles at her like he’s doing in this exact moment… she almost throws reason and caution to the wind.

Her sneakers touch the asphalt at the beat of the music time and again, keeping up with his pace.

The singer reaches another strophe about the fortunate meeting between the sun and the moon. To talk for a while in exchange of a smile and the promise to not break the other’s heart – she could definitely relate to that. But she wonders, _who can live up to such promise?_

Without exchanging a word, his gaze meets hers and they change lanes like they did the day before and other times for the past weeks, either jogging or cycling. The path ahead is her favourite at Hyde Park, and he knows it. Meandering between the mesmerising _dégradé_ of the foliage, ranking from brown to yellow, she smiles.

A sudden gust of wind plucked numerous leaves from the towering trees. They beautifully waltzed in the air before the final leap towards the grass, creating a crunching blanket. An amber one chose to land on Hamid’s hair, and nested there until the breeze blew it away, resuming its ballet.

Like the solitary leave, her eyes performed their own dance. Flicking back and forth from the man’s face, trying not to get caught.

Ear buds on and lips moving, she supposes he’s mumbling the lyrics of a song. Or perhaps he’s studying Mandarin again. Impossible to make out the words. Suddenly, his dark eyes dart to her, and she averts her gaze, her attention focused on the path ahead.

However, it doesn’t take long until her eyes return to her favourite sight at the city.

He’s barely sweating as they jog, just a slight reddish on his cheeks and ears. She has no idea how he manages it, but he always looks like stepping out of the pages of GQ. Even the hair tousled by the wind seems calculated.

Suddenly, Hamid’s face turned, and he met her contemplative stare and offered a cheeky grin. Instead of acknowledging she was caught red-handed and just smile back, Elizabeth’s first instinct was to pretend she wasn’t staring, but failed. Distracted, her right ankle twists when she touches the ground again.

Though she regained balance, the pain didn’t allow her to go on. Another three painful steps before she halted and bent over.

Hamid came back running, a frown on his face.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his hand already reaching and holding her upper arm.

_I’m an infatuated idiot…_

Taking a deep breath, she replied, “I lost my balance… and now it hurts.”

“You might have sprained your ankle. Come.”

Hamid helped her move out of the path and sit on the grass. Crouching in front of her, he watched her hands encircle her leg and the pained expression, she tried to conceal pursing her lips.

“Let me see if there’s any sign of swelling,” he said, fingers already unlacing her sneaker.

Her eyes widened, and her hand covered his. “Oh, please don’t.”

His face tilted up; brows furrowed with concern. “Liz, if it’s hurting this much, you’ll need a doctor.”

Throwing a tight-lipped smile at him, Elizabeth insisted it didn’t hurt; however, Hamid studied her for a moment and without breaking eye-contact, his hand moved up, touching her ankle, and she grimaced.

“Hey,” he said softly touching her knee, “you don’t need to put on a brave face.”

Lowering her gaze, she chewed on the inside of her cheek and shook her head. “I just need a minute, Hamid. It’ll be okay.”

He sat beside her, holding his knees, and stole a sideway glance at the girl frowning while moving the foot. “You don’t have to go to the hospital alone. I can go with you, if you like… It’s understandable if this is still hard for you.”

Her eyes flit to his face, he was obviously imagining her reluctance has something to do with her mother, and embarrassment dominated her. But she couldn’t lie…

“It’s not what you’re thinking… It’s actually something silly… and you’ll make fun of me if I tell you now.”

“I promise I won’t.”

She gnawed on a cuticle, before her mouth opened. “It’s just…” she started, and her voice was so low that the noises of their surroundings almost muffled her words, “I don’t want you to see my foot.”

He looked up in confusion and asked the reason.

“I hate my feet!”

“But we must see if there’s swelling.”

“Could you turn around? I can see it for myself.”

“You’re serious?” he gaped, “I’ve seen you wearing a bathing suit!”

Heat creeped its way up her neck to her face, remembering the occasion.

_._

_When she climbed the pool ladder that morning, his intense dark eyes travelled all the way down from her face to her legs. Lingering on the curves hugged by her conservative black swimsuit. Her cheeks were so hot that they could make the cool water streaming down her face evaporate. His chest heaved with a deep breath, then his eyes fixed on her face while she neared him to claim the towel from his hand. A persistent smile on his face while he enthusiastically complimented her performance._

_“You are as graceful as a mermaid. A tiny and extremely cute one,” he concluded._

_“I’m not tiny,” she protested, playfully narrowing her eyes at him, before turning around at his request, “I’m average.”_

_Holding the robe, he said close to her ear, “You’re anything but average, Miss Foredale.”_

.

“Well… I’m pretty sure you didn’t look at my feet…” she muttered under her breath.

A mischievous smile curled his lips, and she was certain he could still picture her in the pool.

“Liz, will it help if I show you mine?”

“Why? Are they ugly too?”

“Oh, no! I have perfectly pleasant feet.”

“Ugh! Another reason to not show you.”

Her response prompted an unrestrained laugh to fly from his mouth, filling the air.

“I’m serious. Could you please turn around and not look?”

“You’re a very strange girl…” he said, voice still carrying his amusement.

“I know,” she said bumping her shoulder on his arm, “But you like me and my quirks, so indulge me…”

He beamed, looking her straight in the eye. “I do. I do like you.”

They held each other’s gaze for a few seconds, before he moved and turned his back to her, but it was enough to cause her heart to race.

_What the flying fudge craker, Hamid! Why are you torturing me?_

Bowing, Elizabeth resumed unlacing her trainer and took it off.

“You know anytime I look at you from now on I will be thinking about all the bunions on your feet…”

“I don’t have bunions!”

“What it is then?” He casted a look over his shoulder. “Membranes between your toes? Like ducks?”

“Very funny,” she scoffed.

“Six toes? Or hairy feet, like hobbits?”

“Can you please stop!”

“I cannot. I’m too curious and my mind is very creative.”

“Why are you so eager to see my feet?” she teased, “Do you have a fetish or something?”

“You discovered my secret! I cannot resist ugly feet,” he said in an exaggerated provocative tone over his shoulder and seductively bit his lower lip.

“You’re ridiculous,” she retorted, and a breathed laugh escaped her mouth.

Lowering his voice, he continued, “Or perhaps I’m just worried about you.”

The honesty in his tone quieted her laugh and her hand stopped rubbing the injured foot.

A long time since someone cared about something so ordinary that happened to her.

Tapping on his shoulder, she consented.

“…But be aware, I will slap you if you act weird!”

“I’ll refrain the urge of sucking on your toes,” he mocked.

“Good!”

“Unless you ask _really_ nicely…”

“I won’t!”

Smiling, he returned to the same spot. His fingers lightly touched the foot, examining it, and ran to the curves on its side. He asked her permission and rolled her leggings up to look at the ankle.

“I don’t see any swelling, which is good,” he said, head bowed, “Just a small cute foot.”

“Liar! It’s so not! My feet are weird and too big for my height.”

“Well, they are small compared to mine.”

“Perhaps you just have clown feet too!” she mocked.

“Perhaps we were both cursed with horrendous clown feet…” A persistent wide smile curling his mouth, while his hands worked. “…Or perhaps we have ordinary looking feet, which perform a great job keeping us grounded. Well, mine do, at least.”

“You really know how to cheer a girl up, don’t you?”

He chuckled and looked up at her. “Does it actually matter? I mean, the size of your feet?”

“To me it does…” she sighed and gnawed at a cuticle, averting her gaze.

“Would you frown at someone for having ridiculously small feet?”

“Never.”

“Or would you not be my friend if my sneakers were too large for the Sasquatch?”

“Of course not! I’m not that shallow!”

“I thought so…” he declared, a small smile on his lips. “If _Anneanne_ were here, she’d recite one very inspiring passage of the _Qur’an_ and share all her wisdom with you… Since she’s not here, I’ll try my best,” he paused and cleared his throat, then spoke again with a solemn voice, “I think you deserve the same kindness you would offer others, Liz.”

“Easier said than done…” she admitted, and her gaze followed a woman running with a stroller.

“I suppose.” With gentleness he resumed massaging the ankle, easing the pain. “I wish you could see yourself through the eyes of someone who admires you. Just for one day… You’d be amazed.”

Elizabeth chewed on her lower lip, eager to ask if he meant himself, but she didn’t.

“Does it feel any better?”

“How are you so good at this?”

“Let’s say I’ve had my share of injuries and trips to the ER. Perhaps other people’s shares too…” he replied, lacing her sneaker. “Now we must get you some ice. My place is closer. Do you think you can walk?”

“I can try,” she said and raised to her feet. Her face contorted with pain when she touched the ground, and he immediately encircled her waist and offered the other arm for support.

They started moving towards the exit. Awkwardly hoping in one foot, Elizabeth tried not to touch the ground with the injured feet, and Hamid looked from her to the long path ahead and halted.

“You can’t do this all the way to the flat…”

“Why? Aren’t you charmed by my _Saci Pererê_ impersonation?”

“I have no idea what that means…”

She chuckled and pulled the mobile out of her pocket. “I’ll text the driver and ask him to come and spare you from further humiliation.”

“But how will you get to the exit?”

“Hopping of course. I used to invincible at hopscotch.”

“Sure…” he teased her, “But here’s another idea: piggyback or princess carry? The first option is more fun, might remind you of those glorious days when you might’ve been good at hopscotch, but the second is more comfortable.”

“You don’t have to carry me, Hamid…”

“Where’s the fun in life if we only do what we must?” he asked, getting a little closer and throwing one of his irresistible smiles. “Are you worried about breaking the distance rule?”

“You already massaged my foot in public… so I guess that ship has already sailed…” she pondered, and he nodded. “I’m already wondering which will be the captions of the photos…”

“It’ll be either ‘English heiress forces handsome man to carry her around’ or ‘Charming Turkish diplomat sweeps heiress off her feet’?”

“No other possible interpretation in between?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“It got me wondering if you’re the one ghost-writing those tabloid articles…”

“Who knows…” he winked. “What will it be?”

She bit her bottom lip and lowered her gaze. To be in Hamid’s arms was rather tempting, but she knew which was the right answer to that question.

“Piggyback. I’ll take my chance…” 

“Good choice.” Slowly, he turned around and bent down, lowering his body. “Hop on!”

Elizabeth encircled his shoulder with her arms, and his perfume filled her lungs replacing the scents of autumn. Then, in a swift motion as soon as she tried to pull herself up, his arms grabbed her legs giving her a boost. Laughing, she held him tight.

“You’re strong!” 

“I’m torn between thanking you or feeling a bit offended with the surprise in your tone.”

“Sorry,” she said into his ear, “You just made it look so easy…”

“I guess lifting all those weights is paying off. And it helps you being tiny.”

“I’m not tiny. I’m average.”

“Oh, Liz… You’re _anything_ but average. When will you realize it?”

His words stirred the flutter of butterflies on her stomach and an intense burn on the cheeks. In an attempt to hide her emotions, she lowered her chin on her arm.

_Ugh! Why does he keep saying stuff like that?_

Advancing on the path, they drew the attention from passers-by. A few smiled running past them and, for once, she didn’t mind it, focusing on Hamid and the fun she was having.

“I still don’t understand how you fell.”

“I probably tripped on a bump on the path or something…”

“There was not a single obstacle on the ground where you stumbled. What happened? Did my handsomeness knock you off your feet?”

“Oh, please… I’m just clumsy,” she lied through her teeth, relying on him not being able to see her expression.

“You’re not,” he insisted, turning his face and trying to look at her, “I’ve seen you running. And swimming. You’re gracious on dry land and water.”

Meeting his gaze, she retorted, “Perhaps I stumbled on your ginormous ego… Have you considered that?”

His shoulder shook with his loud laugh. “I have not considered that hypotheses,” he breathed, between guffaws, “Though it seems rather unlikely. I stand by my first assumption.”

Even though Hamid dropped the subject after the second time she playfully slapped his shoulder, the familiar smirk curling his mouth persisted and he kept stealing glances at her.

A lonely magpie was walking on the grass beside the path, and Elizabeth pointed and recited the verse, “One for sorrow.”

“Not on my watch!” Hamid declared and resolutely crossed the distance, chasing the bird away. Dry leaves crunching beneath his feet with each step, and others falling on them. Unrestrained laughs flying from their mouths.

When they stopped laughing, he asked about the verses and she explained her grandmother taught her when she was a child, and she recited all of them to him. 

Childhood memories was the cue for him to share one of his, and she giggled at his almost childish excitement.

“…Then, the first one to fall loses. After my twelfth birthday, I was unbeatable.”

“Hard to believe… I’ve seen pictures of your sisters.”

“You doubt my abilities?” he asked and twirled, reproducing what he’d do in the game.

Elizabeth squealed, and fisted his tee. “Stop! Don’t let me fall!” she cried and tightened the grip of her legs on his torso. His back moved with his amusement, and he stopped spinning.

“Don’t worry,” he said softly, face turning to meet her gaze, “It’s as unlikely for me to let you fall than to shatter a priceless mosaic.”

Hamid adjusted his grip on her legs, and she drew in a deep breath, relaxing against the muscles of his back.

He resumed walking, and soon the entrance came into view and she texted the driver again.

“Here we are, my lady! Safe and sound,” Hamid said when they reached the outer gate, and she lowered herself to the pavement. His arm quickly encircled her waist, allowing her to lean on him.

She smiled back at him and didn’t move away, accepting the extra help and the closeness.

“Thanks for everything,” she said softly, “you are a good friend, Hamid.”

He nodded and smiled. It was just a small one more to himself than to her. “You’re welcome. But it was nothing…”

She lowered her voice and her gaze. “It means a lot to me.”

Their eyes followed the black sedan coming from the crossing, and when it pulled over, Hamid helped her inside.

“Don’t forget to put some ice and rest,” he recommended, half of his body still inside the car, and face awfully close. 

“I will,” she breathed the answer and stared at his lips. A friend shouldn’t look at a friend’s lips like this, she chastised herself, but didn’t look away.

“Text me later, okay?” Grinning, Hamid gently squeezed her arm, and added in a conspiratorial tone, “And if your grandmother blows this out of proportion and tries to lock you down permanently, give me a call and I’ll help you find asylum.”

“You’ll be my first call,” she replied, and they shared an amused look. Impulsively, Elizabeth leaned forward, placing a peck on his cheek. “Bye, Hamid.”

The door closed and before the engine started, she contemplated Hamid standing on the pavement. Waving at her with a wide cheek dimpling smile, though he couldn’t really see her inside, and she thanked the inventors of tinted windows for that, while pressing her palms against her burning cheeks.

_Oh, my God! Why am I like this? Infatuated idiot!_

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Anneanne (Turkish) - Maternal grandmother; granny;  
> 2\. Saci Pererê - one-legged character from Brazilian folklore.


End file.
